Agents from two drug task forces, who cooperated on the arrest, reported a strong odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle after they stopped it about 10:55 p.m. for a speeding violation, Tripp wrote.

A K-9 search turned up 5,100 bindles of heroin, arranged in 102 bricks, plus 13 grams of marijuana, the sheriff said. Tripp said the heroin would be worth about $51,000 on the street.

“The US Drug Enforcement Administration made contact with the United States Attorney’s Office Eastern District of North Carolina; a criminal complaint will be filed for several drug violations,” Tripp wrote.

Tara Finis Simmons, 46, of Hallsboro and Charles Lee Wright Jr., 49, of Whiteville, are being held in jail under a federal detainer.

Tara Finis Simmons, 46, of Hallsboro, left, and Charles Lee Wright Jr., 49, of Whiteville are being held on a federal detainer pending a criminal complaint.&nbsp;

The task forces involved were Tar River Regional Drug Task Force and the City County Drug Task Force.

The Tar River Regional Drug Task Force is comprised of officers from the Drug Enforcement Administration, state probation and parole officials, the State Bureau of Investigation, North Carolina ALE, the sheriff’s offices of Nash and Edgecombe counties and the police departments of Wilson, Nashville, Spring Hope and Tarboro.

The City County Drug Task Force is comprised of officers from the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office, the Weldon and Roanoke Rapids police department.